Pair of large local employers ink new collective bargaining deals
By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on January 12, 2022.
https://www.medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews Two major employers in Medicine Hat have filed new collective bargaining agreements with their workers, according to the latest summary of deals from Alberta’s labour ministry. South Country Co-op and 315 workers represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers, Local No. 401, came to terms on a five-year deal in November. It provides a wage increase of 1 per cent to top rates in each job classification in each of the first three years of the contract, then 1.25 and 1.5 percent in-the final two years, respectively. It replaces the previous pact that expired in July 2020. Earlier in 2021, Moduline Industries and an employees association at the Medicine Hat-based construction manufacturer agreed to a three-year deal. It sees an immediate raise of 2.5 per cent for workers, then 2 per cent in each of the final two years. About 120 workers are covered in the 36-month agreement that was ratified on June 26 but filed in December. The year’s final summary states that 616 contracts across Alberta in place for the 2021 year provided, on average, a 1.29 per cent wage hike for unionized private sector workers and 1.02 per cent for public sector unions. For the 305 settlements in place for 2022, the average increase is 0.9 per cent wage in the private sector and 1.26 per cent for the public sector. It pegged the year-over-year increase to consumer price index at 3.0 per cent in Alberta at the end of November, compared to 3.2 per cent across Canada. Average weekly earnings in the province for all workers rose by 2.0 per cent through 11 months of 2021. 12-11
